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Bret Bielema discusses dealing with tumultuous final couple of weeks to Illinois’ 2022 season
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Bret Bielema has had an extremely difficult few weeks.
On the football field, his Illinois Fighting Illini program started the season 7-1 and was getting national talk. The Illini would end up losing the next 3 games in a row to fall to 7-4.
Off of the field, Bielema was dealing with extremely sad family circumstances. The coach, unfortunately, lost his mother and father-in-law within the last 2 weeks. Bielema called the situation “undescribable” and said Northwestern HC Pat Fitzgerald was the 1st coach to reach out to him in both instances.
#illini Bret Bielema on what he’s gone through the last two weeks with losing his mom and his father-in-law: “It’s indescribable.”
Pat Fitzgerald was the first coach to reach out to him both times.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) November 27, 2022
Bielema, understandably, said there were “a few days” where he didn’t know if he could coach this weekend.
#illini Bret Bielema: Had a few days that he didn’t know if he could coach today.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) November 27, 2022
Illinois ended up easily handling Northwestern by a final score of 41-3. Best wishes to the Bielema family during this difficult time.
Bryce Lazenby covers college football for Saturday Tradition. A Nashville native, his previous stops include FanSided, Dimers, and The Leaf-Chronicle.